10 of the saddest movies guaranteed to make you cry

There is something very cathartic about watching sad movies. No matter how gut-wrenching or tear-inducing, they are weirdly enjoyable and most leave you feeling a little better about life.

Whether that is because you are thanking your lucky stars that your life does not suck as much as the lives of the characters you just watched fall apart on screen, or because it’s just great to have a good cry for no reason whatsoever, other than purely for the feels.

There are so many great tearjerkers to choose from, but you’ll need to consider the level of cry you want to acheive (sometimes a few tears escaping is better than a snot infested full-on weeping session).

So, with that in mind, below are 10 movies that should get your tear ducts into overdrive, they come with a cry rating (which even features the ugly cry, which was originally perfected by James Van Der Beek in a legendary moment on Dawson’s Creek) so you know what you’re getting yourself into.

1. My Girl

(Picture: YouTube)

The film that shows you that life is really not fair, not even for adolescents. A tale of first love and tragedy. It also has some LOLs though for some light relief.

Cry rating: solid weeping

2. Sweet November

(Picture: YouTube)

Keanu Reeves plays an ad exec jerk and Charlize Theron plays a free spirit who changes him for the better. It’s sweet but very sad.

Cry rating: lip quiver

3. The English Patient

(Picture: YouTube)

Based on the book by Michael Ondaatje at the close of World War 2, a young nurse tends to a badly burned patient and discovers the story of his life through flashbacks. This film is so well acted and is exquisitely moving.

Cry rating: solid weeping

4. Marley and Me

(Picture: YouTube)

A growing family and their wayward dog. A funny and beautiful film.

Cry rating: tearing up

5. My Sister’s Keeper

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Cancer is bad enough, but when you have to sue your own parents so that they don’t keep using your organs to keep your big sister alive that takes tear jerker movies to a whole new level.

Cry rating: escapee tears

6. Grave of the Fireflies

(Picture: YouTube)

A film about a boy and his little sister trying to survive during World War 2 in Japan. Perfectly animated with an amazing story. This film will break your heart.

Cry rating: ugly cry

7. Beaches

(Picture: YouTube)

Another cancer movie, but this is more of a tale of friendship and how from child to adult the two women change and cope and keep their friendship together. A classic movie for a night in.

Cry rating: escapee tears

8. The Notebook

(Picture: YouTube)

Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams getting steamy and falling in love with plenty of conflict, drama and tears along the way.

Cry rating: lip quiver

9. Dancer in the Dark

(Picture: YouTube)

Bjork stars in this Lars Von Trier creation about an Eastern European going to America with her young son. She expects it to be all technicolor and amazing like a movie but quickly finds out that reality is very different.

This is the kind of film that you can’t rewatch and is just utterly devastating.

Cry rating: ugly cry

10. Steel Magnolias

(Picture: YouTube)

A classic film full up to the brim with female stars like Julia Roberts, Sally Field and Dolly Parton about a group of friends dealing with life and heartbreak in a small town in Louisiana. It is funny and filled with tear inducing moments.

Cry rating: escapee tears

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